A tropical storm watch was issued Monday for the upper Texas Coast as a disturbance churns over the Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical Storm Cindy has halted service at a major oil terminal in the Gulf of Mexico, prompted some evacuations at rigs and platforms and put states from Texas to Florida on notice for flooding rains. Cindy is expected to make landfall between Beaumont, TX and Lake Charles, LA early Thursday as a tropical storm with winds around 45mph.

IMPACT ON THE GULF COAST: Rain amounts of 10 to 15 inches are possible on the Alabama Gulf Coast as a deep fetch of tropical moisture is pointed right at Mobile Bay, on the east side of Cindy.

On Tuesday, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey declared a statewide State of Emergency in anticipation of severe weather moving through the area.

The service reported that maximum sustained winds in the tropical storm would be near 45 miles per hour with higher gusts.

The 1933 Trinidad hurricane didn't form until June 24, and 1979's Tropical Storm Ana formed in the same region on June 20.

The "potential tropical cyclone" designation is given to storms that have not yet formed into a typical tropical depression or storm but may form and impact land. The National Hurricane Center says the storm is expected to move inshore early Thursday near the Louisiana-Texas line before weakening and moving northeastward in a sweeping arc.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu has postponed his State of the City address again because of tropical weather that's approaching the Louisiana coast.

The warning is in effect from Cameron, Louisiana, to Intracoastal City.

The storm is packing winds up to 45 miles per hour, but it's unlikely to strengthen much before making landfall along the Louisiana-Texas border. We can expect this to continue through most of the day with some thunderstorms possible through the afternoon.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the State Operations Center to increase its readiness as Tropical Storm Cindy heads toward the Gulf Coast. If you would like to discuss another topic, look for a relevant article.

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